The Future Trilogy - The Exchange (Book Two of a Trilogy)
by Meridian
Summary: The sequel to The Sacrifice, and Book Two of The Future Trilogy. About what you'd do for friends.


The Exchange  
Book Two of a Trilogy

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[A/N: Hey, guys. Here's the second chunk of my Future Trilogy. If you haven't read the first book, _The Sacrifice_, I suggest you go and read it right now, or you'll be totally lost. And yes, the third book will be coming out in a month or so. IF I ever get my homework done. If you like this story, please comment to me at [anifuture@hotmail.com][1], since I really appreciate comments. But if you want to see the first couple of chapters of _The Morph_, visit my webpage at [http://anifuture.hypermart.net][2]. Thankies.]

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_The state of man does change and vary,  
Now sound, now sick, now blyth, now sary,   
No damsand mirry, now like to die: --   
Timor mortis conturbat me. __ _

_No state in end hear standis sicker,   
As with the wynd wavis the wickeder,   
So wannis this world's vanitie: --   
Timor mortis conturbat me. --?__ __ _

- Lament  
By Harper

* * *

**Prologue - Jake **

_The dream came.Just as it had, every night, for two weeks. _

_I saw my niece, Marguerite, facing her younger self, the Controller. _

_Blue eyes wide, golden hair framing a face that was the mirror of Rachel's. _

_Finger quivering on the trigger of the Dracon Beam. _

_Just like the real thing.Just like it had happened. _

_I could see my son, Jeremy, looking confused, with Jesse, Lilith, and Leslie, trying to figure out what was going on. _

_But I also saw the Ellimist and Crayak behind her, translucent. _

_Marguerite fired. _

_The Controller slumped to the ground. _

_Marguerite's body dissolved. _

_The Ellimist turned to face Crayak. _

_The girl won this battle, Crayak,__ he said in a voiceless voice.The girl won this battle. _

_Crayak's eye turned, swiveling, searching.__Yes.This battle, __Crayak said, in his low voice.__This battle.But the next one will be different. _

_These children will fight, __the Ellimist said.__They will fight, like their parents before them.Like the girl. _

_They have their weaknesses, also.And the next battle will come soon. _

_Crayak's eye swiveled toward me. _

_Soon . . . . _

I jerked up in bed. 

The dream.Again. 

Beside me, Cassie rolled over."Are you okay, Jake?" 

I forced a smile."Yeah.Fine.I just couldn't sleep, that's all." 

Cassie yawned."Uh huh.Go to sleep.It's late." 

So I lay in bed, with Cassie's arms around me, and tried to sleep. 

But Crayak's words still echoed in my head. 

He had said the same thing before we had fought the Howlers.And he was saying it again. 

Soon . . . . 

**Chapter One – Lilith **

My name is Lilith.And I'm the one pressing myself against the wall, trying not to get hit. 

The one with dirty blond hair, and blue eyes.The wimp. 

Yeah, I know Leslie would say that that was an unfair generalization.But it's true.I am a wimp. 

Out of the five of us, I'm the one who's always scared.Afraid to get into fights. 

No.Four of us now. 

My older sister, Marguerite, well, she killed herself. 

To defeat the Yeerks. 

She died with honor. 

Ted sneered at me."Does the little girl have a problem?" he said, in a faked sympathetic tone. 

He drew back his fist, about to slam it into my face. 

"Hey, Lilith," Leslie called. 

Leslie is Marguerite's best friend.No, I mean _was her best friend.She looks out for me, quite a lot, actually. _

Jeremy bounded toward me."Got a problem, cuz?" 

Jeremy's my cousin, once removed.He's generally rather serious. 

And Jesse, the last little member of our team was a few feet behind Jeremy. 

He didn't say anything. 

Jesse used to be a joker, the one who loved to laugh at life. 

But ever since Margot died, he kinda snapped inside.He doesn't respond to anything or anyone.It's like nothing exists for him, anymore. 

I don't particularly get it.I mean, it's not like they _liked each other.They were just friends. _

I know Margot's dead, but it's hard to believe it sometimes. 

I mean, when she was alive, she was so vital, so alive.Like nothing could touch her. 

And then she was gone so quickly. 

It was just so fast.Like a candle being snuffed out. 

And then just like that, our little gang fell apart. 

But she died for a good cause.She killed all of the Yeerks.That's what she wanted to do; that's what she ended up doing. 

And she did it.But she paid with her life. 

**Chapter Two – Leslie **

Jeremy laughed."Six of them, four of us, and we kicked butt!" 

He was up, hyper, the way he's been for the last two weeks. 

The problem was, it was totally unnatural.I could tell.I know Jeremy. 

After eight years together on the streets, you learn to trust each other.Completely.We all grew together.That's the problem. 

Now that Marguerite's gone, we all fell apart. 

She was the center of our group.The one who made Jeremy relax, made Lilith more outgoing.The one who could make Jesse act marginally responsible. The one who made me feel like I could do anything.The one who could – 

Anyway, since she's gone, the rest of us have been acting slightly strange.For one thing, Jesse refuses to speak in anything _except for street dialects.He's also refused to do anything, and basically withdrew from everything and everyone. _

Lilith spends most of her time crying.And when she's not, she's acting neurotic.And she's doing the pretty much same thing that Jesse does with the dialects, only on a lesser scale. 

Jeremy acts like he's got a sugar rush.He flatly refuses to face anything real.And he acts like anything and everything is a big joke. 

I suppose I'm the only _normal one.So to speak.I think I'm getting crankyesque.Majorly.At least that's what Jeremy says. _

Jesse turned away.I sighed. 

If Marguerite had been here, she would have mopped up the floor with those idiots.Then she would have laughed, and said something bold about how the morons couldn't even handle one little girl. 

Lilith looked at Jesse."Jesse?" 

I heard that tone of desperation in her voice."Jess, come'n you, can't you –" 

Jesse whirled on her. 

"Lilith, whyday shaddup ya beak, cock ya lugs for a change, ya?"He paused for a second, then added, "Ya'd think the _kroina'd have nuff canny ta shat h'r mou'k." _

Basically, that translated to something to the effect of that Lilith should shut up, listen for a change, and that the ah, er, _kroina should have enough brains to shut up. _

Never mind what _kroina means.It isn't exactly polite. _

Lilith looked hurt, as tears began to well up in her eyes."I was only tryin' ta help you, me.I didn't mean ta –" 

"Lilith.Calm down," I said."Jesse didn't mean to hurt your feelings, all right?" 

She turned that hurt gaze to me."But –" 

"But nothing.C'mon, you, ya'll be late ta class, you, so getcha movin', you," I said, giving her a slight nudge, and lightly slipping into _Tyresine, yet another street dialect.It's also the lightest of them, without the heavy accents of __Kyrina or __Rilnan. _

Jeremy laughed."C'mon, Jess.Race you to History Class!" 

Jesse didn't say anything, only pivoted on his heel, and followed Jeremy. 

Lilith walked off to her class, leaving me to run quickly to Science. 

**Chapter Three – Rachel **

"Look," I said."We have to do something." 

Cassie shook her head."Rach, they'll snap out of it soon." 

"When?" I asked.I started pacing."Jesse and Lilith won't even speak in English.Leslie started getting into fights, Lilith can't stop crying, and Jeremy acts like he has a sugar rush.And Jess –" 

I trailed off. 

Marco turned toward me."Jesse acts like a zombie." 

His voice was flat. 

We were all silent for a few seconds. 

Tobias looked at me with a human gaze.He can switch back and forth from hawk to human without a time limit, and morph from either form, although that's another story."Rachel, they'll be fine." 

"When?" I asked, yet again."Are they going to stay in this state for two freakin' years?" 

We all knew who I was referring to.Marco's dad. 

Marco shook his head."They'll snap out of it.They have to." 

There was another long silence. 

Then suddenly, abruptly, Jake's cell phone started ringing. 

He picked it up."Yes, this is Jake." 

He listened for a few seconds, then hung up."Guys, I gotta run.There's been an accident down on Cooper Street." 

Jake was out the door in a few seconds. 

Marco and Tobias were off to their jobs as well. 

That left Cassie and I, since Ax and Siraki – Ax's wife - hadn't been able to come to the meeting. 

Cassie turned to me, with a rueful smile."They'll be fine, Rach." 

I smiled."Yes.They'll be fine." 

I said it like I believed it. 

I was lying. 

**Chapter Four - Jeremy **

It was after school when the event happened. 

I was outside, waiting for Jesse, when _it happened. _

Jesse was slouching., with Lilith a few feet behind him, tears streaking her face like usual. 

Leslie was across the football field, warily watching Lilith and Jesse. 

Edward, who's kinda this gigantic jerk was also watching Lilith.He headed over.And I was pretty sure it wasn't to say "hi". 

Then he started taunting her. 

"What's wrong, little girl?Go and run to your sister, now." 

I forgot to mention that in this timeline, Marguerite died, although not from a Dracon Beam.I believe it was from getting shot, with a _regular gun. _

I suppose the Ellimist fixed it so it would be that way. 

And that practically the entire school knows it, since my dad is a pretty major doctor, and Margot's mom, Rachel, is supposed to be a "famous" designer. 

Ed continued."Oh, I forgot.Little Lilith doesn't have a sister.Her sister got killed at the shooting range." 

Then suddenly, without warning, Jesse slammed Edward into the wall.Literally. 

His voice was deadly."Leave her alone." 

Edward tried to punch him. 

Jesse took the punch without a flinch. 

"I said, Leave.Her.Alone." 

Edward said something extremely rude and obscene about Marguerite. 

And then Jesse lost it. 

Twenty minutes later, Edward was in the school nurse, unconscious.Lilith was in the girls' room, sobbing about the whole incident.And Jesse was in detention, after having knocked the crap out of Edward. 

Leslie and I were left alone, outside. 

Leslie put her hand on my shoulder."He's just feeling the rebound, Jeremy.We all are." 

I sighed, feeling sad for a few minutes, letting the giddy shield slip. 

"Yes.We all are.But what about the price?The whole price." 

She gave me a wistful smile."There's always a price.For anything." 

I smiled, albeit sadly."What's happening to us, Leslie?What's happening?" 

Leslie didn't answer me.She knew what had happened. 

My cousin had died, trying to defend the world. 

And we were all going crazy because of that choice. 

**Chapter Five – Lilith **

I wiped my nose with my sleeve, and opened the door to my room. 

It's strange to think of how everything has changed. 

I mean, I can remember the fact that on my last birthday in _this timeline, I got to go to some ice-skating rink.And on my last birthday in the __other timeline, I ended up getting in a gang fight, and getting a lock of hair shot away by a few Hork-Bajir, and the __Pertin gang. _

Heh.The _Pertin gang. _

Each gang has its own specific name.Like our gang, we were named the _Vrelth. _

Outcasts. 

That's what it translates to, literally, in the street dialects.In at least four of the major ones. 

Outcasts. 

They called us that, because no one would fight with us. 

Partly because our parents were the Animorphs._The Animorphs.And everyone avoided us like the plague, except for the original members of our gang, because of the fact that every single Yeerk on the planet knew our faces and our names. _

Because there was a bounty on our heads, and no one wanted to get involved with us, unless they were too greedy for their own good. 

Because of my sister. 

I felt my lips curve upwards into a smile of remembrance. 

Every other gang said Marguerite was insane.Because she'd take any shot just to kill another Yeerk.Because she never forgave anyone. 

Because she was Rachel's daughter, and got a thrill out of every fight. 

And because she'd do anything to wipe another Yeerk off of the planet. 

I don't want you to think that my sister was a bad person.That would be doing her a great injustice.Marguerite was the total opposite.It's just the way that she viewed the Earth, and the people on it. 

To her, everything was black and white.Enemy, or friend.Yeerk, or human. 

And she hated the Yeerks more than anything else. 

It was a part of her, that hate. 

But she could also love people, and care about others. 

It was just the way that she was made and put together, that made her so dangerous to the Yeerks. 

See, she loved me and Jeremy.She was friends with Leslie and Jesse. 

And she hated the Yeerks. 

That was all there was to her. 

You know, the strange thing is the name that the streets gave Marguerite.She didn't choose it.But somehow, it fit her. 

_Skarlaya. _

The first part, s_kar, means, well, if you take the meaning literally, it can mean beautiful, graceful, grace.It can also be used to describe a hawk. _

And the second part, _laya, means death. _

So literally, if you put it together, it can mean Hawk-Death, or Beautiful-Death.Graceful-Death. 

That's the name that she went by on the streets. 

And it fit her to her grave. 

**Chapter Six – Leslie **

"Hey, Leslie," Tess said. 

She gave me a smile."What's up?" 

I tried to calm my heart. 

She laughed."Did I startle you?" 

I smiled at her.A totally fake smile."Yeah.That's it." 

I was lying. 

The way she had said my name, the intonations, the actually pitches, it was so totally familiar. 

And for a second, my heart had jumped, hopelessly believing it was Marguerite. 

She laughed again."So.What's up?" 

I just stared at her. 

It's hard to think about the same person on a dual level. 

Hard to talk about normal things to the same girl who you've seen roasted alive. 

Hard to talk act normal, and talk about whether some guy's cute, when you keep thinking about the way that that particular guy tried to knock your head off your shoulders with a throwing blade. 

_Don't think about it, Leslie, I thought to myself.__Don't think about the fact that you've seen this girl dead.Don't think about – _

"Leslie.Leslie!" 

Tess was shaking me by the shoulders. 

I just stared again."What?" 

She stopped shaking me."Leslie, you phased out.What's wrong with you?" 

I laughed.A real laugh, this time."What's wrong with me?" 

I started shaking again."What's wrong with me?Absolutely nothing.Nothing.Nothing's wrong with me, except for the fact that _Skarlaya's dead, her.Nothing's wrong, except for the fact, it, that Jesse's practically half-dead, him.Nothing –" _

I was laughing again. 

I knew I was having a meltdown, but I didn't care. 

I couldn't care. 

And I couldn't stop laughing, hysterically. 

Tess's face was shocked.She led me down the street, toward my house, and called for Ax and Siraki to come for me. 

They came down, in human form, and told her to go. 

Told me everything was ok. 

But I just couldn't stop laughing at the sheer irony of it all. 

_What was wrong with me? _

**Chapter Seven – Jeremy **

We were walking down an alley, the next evening. 

It was stupid, I know that.To go walking down alleys without any adults around.Especially in the evening. 

But Jesse suggested it.More like demanded it.And I was hoping that it might snap him out of his trance-like state. 

And in true adult-prediction form, a guy came up, and started bothering us. 

I won't give you all the details of what he said.Let's just leave it at that it wasn't very polite, and that most of it was aimed toward the girls. 

The guy laughed."You going to get in my face, you ____ _____?" 

I expected Lilith to start crying, and Leslie to act defensive. 

I was totally wrong. 

Lilith didn't start crying.She only said, in a eerily calm voice, "What didja say, you?" 

Street dialects.Again. 

Lilith smirked, her lips curled back, in a total unfamiliar way."Looks like you gotta a lil' attitude prob', you." 

Then again, it was a little familiar. 

She laughed, in a rather hard way."What didja say, you?" 

"I called you a –" 

Lilith cut him off."Ya know, I'se been havin' a bad day, taday, me.But looks like it be a lil' fun afta all." 

Something flicked easily, with considerable grace out of her sleeve. 

A knife. 

Marguerite. 

She was acting like Marguerite.When we'd had to fight to stay alive.When – 

I gritted my teeth. 

"Lilith, I don't think that this is the best time to –" 

She laughed.In a hard and sharp way."Shadap ya trap, _Korin, you." _

Leslie's eyes were wide, as she stared at Lilith. 

Lilith flipped the blade up into the air, then caught it with a strange grace.She smirked again at the guy."Now, leze, us.Do we start by trimming a bit off the sides of your head?" 

She whipped her wrist sideways.Just a small flick.And the blade in her hand went flying, straight at the bully's head. 

**Chapter Eight – Leslie **

The blade went flying, and neatly skimmed off about one centimeter off the top of the guy's head.Then it circled around, and came back to Lilith's hand. 

Lilith caught it with another easy flick of her wrist. 

She laughed."Well.D'you wanna risk makin' me mad again, you?" 

The guy shook his head violently."No.No.No." 

Leslie laughed again."Too bad, it." 

She whipped it around again for another pass. 

Jeremy's voice was agitated."Lilith.Look, you're acting like Marguerite.You're acting like you _are her.But Margot's dead now.She is dead." _

Lilith smirked.Then she got a confused expression on her face."I . . . I'm dead?" 

Her face seemed to be struggling with various emotions. 

Calm.Arrogance.Terror.Fury.Anger.Quiet. 

Then the look of quiet stayed. 

"What . . . what's happening to me?" 

She looked so young.Vulnerable. 

The guy decided to try to make a run for it. 

And suddenly, the vulnerable look was gone, followed by a cold expression, as the blade whipped toward the guy, knocking him down. 

It hit him with the flat edge. 

Otherwise, he would have been missing a head. 

_She was playing with him!_

That's what Marguerite had done.Play with her enemies, banter with them, stretch out all of the thrills she got from the fights. 

Her voice had an edge again."Oh, so ya're gonna try ta' run fer it, you."Her face took on a mocking expression."But then, I suppse, me, tha' no' ev'rone can be a luv'ly coward like you, you." 

Jeremy looked at me, and shook his head. 

To my total surprise, it was Jesse who intervened.He was staring at Lilith. 

"Margot, put the blade down.Besides, you know, those aren't the rules of the game.And there's really no fun in killing him off now." 

He was appealing to Marguerite's personality. 

Her sense of arrogance, and the thrill she got out of every fight. 

Lilith/Marguerite laughed again."Good point, _Rionon." _

She gave the bully a cold stare."Go." 

She flicked the point of her blade toward the end of the alley. 

He stared at her."You . . . you mental or something?" 

I guess she lost her patience, because then her voice got that _very cold tone in it."I toldya ta go now, me.Now go, you." _

Her wrist flicked, and her blade thunked into the wall, a centimeter from his head. 

He didn't have to be told twice.The punk was out of there, before she could open her mouth again. 

There was a play of emotion across Lilith's face again.She stared wildly around at all of us.She looked at me.Jesse.Jeremy. 

Then she practically collapsed. 

"What's happening to me?" Lilith asked. 

She laughed weakly, and began shaking all over."What's happening to me?To us?_What's happening?" _

**Chapter Nine - Jeremy  **

Somehow, I managed to get the other three home. 

It wasn't pretty, I can tell you that. 

Leslie was on the verge of another meltdown.Lilith was mentally unstable, and kept switching from crying, to totally reckless. 

And Jesse had withdrawn completely again.He wouldn't respond to any of us. 

I jerked the door to my house open. 

Actually, it was more like a bang.Or crash. 

Jake came walking up and stared at us furiously."Where the hell were you kids?Do you know what time it is?Are you aware of the fact that it's past nine?" 

He was talking in that low silky voice. 

Rachel, Marco, Ax, Siraki, Cassie, and Tobias were right behind him. 

Lilith's face jerked, then changed again."Oh, I'm so _sorry for not following your orders, Big Jake, you.I didn't think that it would do any harm to your ego, me.Can you ever forgive me?" _

Marguerite.Again. 

Jake looked shocked. 

"Lilith?Are you feeling ok?" 

She laughed."I'm just fine.Fine.Just fine fine fine fine fine . . . . "Then she broke down into tears again."Just fine fine fine fine fine . . . ." 

Leslie's eyes were extremely bright."'Clay lies still, but blood's a rover;'," she said in a monotone. 

Rachel walked over to her daughter."Lilith, come on.Go sit down." 

Leslie continued."'Breath's a ware that will not keep.'" 

Jake drew me, along with the other Animorphs into the other room. 

Lilith, Leslie, and Jesse stayed together. 

Jake sighed."Ok, what happened?" 

I heard my voice going strange. 

"We . . . . Jesse wanted to go down one of the alleys.A punk jumped us.I . . . . Lilith snapped.She's started acting like Margot.She nearly killed him.It was my fault." 

I glanced around, then continued."Jesse managed to stop her before she killed him.Then Jess withdrew from the rest of us.He hasn't talked since.And Leslie's having a meltdown." 

Jake nodded."Ok, why don't you take the others' upstairs, and go to bed.Jesse and the girls can stay here, overnight." 

I led the others upstairs, and gave Lilith and Leslie the spare room.Jesse was to sleep in my room. 

As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep. 

**Chapter Ten – Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill **

I shifted to my Andalite form. 

It is a rather long story, but Tobias, Siraki-Semitur-Trintian, and I have two "natural forms" – that is, forms that we can morph from with no time limit.In other words, I can go from human to Andalite without a time limit of two hours, but when I morph any other morph, I am under the two hour time limit. 

Leslie may have this power, but that is still uncertain. 

I twisted one stalk eye toward Prince Jake. 

He cocked an eyebrow at me."Well, Ax?" 

I let out a mental sigh.I believe that Jesse is suffering some withdrawal symptoms.As for Lilith, she seems to be acting much like Rachel did when she was split into two parts.The sudden mood swings and the changes of personality are rather interesting, indeed, from a psychological point of view, but it does worry me that she attempted to kill the "punk" as Jeremy calls him. 

I am also rather curious about Jesse's withdrawal.I am not certain whether this has occurred from the shock of going to a different environment, or from the loss of Marguerite.It does not seem to me that the two were especially close, nor had any special relationship. 

Cassie shook her head."No, I don't think so.The two seemed to be pretty good friends.When they were kids, at least." 

Jake fidgeted."But that was a long time ago.More than ten years ago." 

Marco laughed."When we met them, I remember that they seemed to have a give and take relationship.They liked to put each other down.Like Rach and I." 

I thought briefly of the children that we had met.Of a boy with too much responsibility, of a girl whom the world had hurt, of a boy who laughed at the world to cover up his own pain, of a girl who tried to keep the world from erupting into chaos, and of a last girl, with a hard look in her eyes. 

Were the children that I had seen then different from the ones now, or not? 

**Chapter Eleven – Jeremy**

After school, the next day, I walked the girls home. 

Then Jesse. 

I figured I should do it, since I was the most "mentally-stable". 

Hah.Yeah, right. 

When I arrived at Marco's house, I left Jesse alone. 

I could have stayed. 

But I was worried about Leslie, so I only asked him if he was fine. 

He gave me that empty stare. 

Then I left. 

That was not the first, and not the last of a chain of possibly fatal mistakes. 

**Chapter Twelve – Jesse **

I fumbled for my key, in my pocket. 

I felt tired.So tired . . . . 

It would be so easy, just to go to the bathroom, find a razor, and end it all, immediately. 

Don't get me wrong, it's not like I was in love with the girl.It's just, well, she was the focus of our gang.And once she was gone, the entire gang fell apart. 

That's all I wanted.Was that too much to ask? 

I sighed, and went up to my room. 

I grabbed a book at random from the bookshelf, and started flipping through it. 

_"No, Lady, I am speaking sober truth.But poor plain words won't serve me.I sing to You because then maybe You will understand."And I strike my harp anew; but it is more to her than Her that I sing. _

_If I had thought thou couldst have died, _

_I might now weep for thee: _

_But I forgot, when by thy side, _

_That thou couldst mortal be: _

_ _

_It never through my mind had past _

_The time would e'er be o'er, _

_And I on thee should look my last, _

_And though shouldst smile no more! _

I slammed the book shut, then let it fall open again to a different page. 

_I, grown unmerciful, pursue Her:"You understand now, do You not?You are not eternal either.SUM isn't.Not Earth, not sun, not stars.We hid from the truth.Every one of us.I too, until I lost the one thing which made everything else make sense.Then I had nothing to lose, and could look with clear eyes.And what I saw was Death." _

I threw the book across the room. 

"Na."I said, in a flat tone. 

I wanted to think about something else than Margot.Her mocking tones.Her life, her fire, her vitality.The way she'd laughed at me.The way – 

I cut that train of thought off. 

She was dead. 

Accurate enough, I suppose. 

"Ellimist, you?" I asked. 

Not precisely. 

"Ansysith, it?" I asked, again.Crayak wouldn't bother poking his nose into my business. 

Very good, human.And yes, Crayak wouldn't bother, so he sent me instead. 

The Ellimist isn't exactly all-powerful.He has an enemy; Crayak.And Crayak uses Ansysith and Drode as his pawns. 

I can give you what you want the most of all, Jesse. 

**Chapter Thirteen – Jesse **

I can give you what you want the most of all, Jesse. 

Somehow, those words cut through my depression, and hit my brain. 

What I wanted.Margot.One of my closest friends. 

Suddenly, the light across from me wavered, and then solidified. 

My stomach turned to ice. 

I saw a girl, cocking her head at me. 

Golden hair falling across those blue eyes, tough arrogant look in them momentarily obscured by the mocking laughter in them.Perfect lips curved whimsically to one side, about to deliver some derisive statement. 

I'd seen her like that, hundreds, if not thousands of times. 

It was, perhaps, the most beloved of all of her manners. 

"Marguerite, her." I said, in a flat tone. 

I felt the icy feeling go up through my chest. 

Yes, your little friend can be alive again. 

"Yes.For a price, it.That's what you're going to ask for, it, isn't it?" 

Knowing Margot, she would probably have said something tough like that.But when I tried to say it, it came out wrong.My voice cracked halfway through. 

The Ansysith sighed.Yes, I am fully aware that you are not your little friend.You don't have half of the guts that that child had. 

But still, you will work for the task I need you for. 

"Well then, what is it, it?" I asked. 

I walked across the room, and picked up the book. 

I need a sort of host.For a Yeerk. 

"You want me to become a Controller, you?" 

My voice was incredulous. 

That's what I said. 

"Well, would this hurt the others, them?Make them injured in any way, them?" 

No.You have my word on that. 

"I want your word, me.That if you lie to me, the deal's off, it." 

Very well. 

I reached out for the book, and flipped through it again. 

Silly, isn't it?That I thought that the book might help me make a decision? 

Do one thing, I betray one of my closest friends. 

Do the other, I betray my family, and the rest of my friends. 

But as if the book knew what was going on, it fell open to a certain page. 

_"-Unto the Death goeis all Estatis, _

_Princis, Prelattis, and Poetestatis, _

_Baith rich and poor of all degree: -- _

_Timor mortis conturbat me." _

_ _

_"He takis the knichtis in to the field, _

_Enarmit under helm and scheild; _

_Victor he is at all mellie:-- _

_Timor mortis conturbat me." _

That shocked me.See, that was one of Margot's favorite songs. 

I could still visualize her as she was then, singing: 

_"He sparis no lord for his piscence, _

_Na clerk for his intelligence; _

_His awful straik may no man flee: -- _

_Timor mortis conturbat me. _

My heart thudded in my chest. 

"I'll do it." 

**Chapter Fourteen – Lilith**

_So, Diary, I wonder about this new club, the Giving.I mean, everyone says it's cool, but I'm not sure I can get in.But then, Leslie says I have low self-esteem. _

_I wonder if she's right. _

_Jeremy's been talking about some old Earth stuff.Like some sport called "soccer" or something like that.When I asked Mom, she just laughed, and told me to ask Dad, or Uncle Marco or Uncle Jake. _

_But back to the club, I wonder if I can get in.It's like, I mean, all the cool girls are in it and I know I'm not exactly cool, but I think that I could –_

I stared at the old entry in my diary, written in a loopy handwriting. 

Not even like Marguerite's writing.Her writing was small and neat. 

Mine?Small, loopy, and unreadable. 

I put my pen to the paper, trying to regain some semblance of normality. 

"Dear Diary," I said out loud, trying to think of something to say."Dear Diary . . . ." 

What could I say? 

As if pulled by a magnet, my hand reached out involuntarily, and flipped the diary to a few months ago.I was sure I knew what it said.But I wanted to be sure. 

_Dear Diary, Mom and Dad were upset again today.Like usual, they asked me about some weird stuff, like Marguerite.'Bout whether I remembered her.I mean, she was my sister, ok, but I don't really remember her all that well.I mean, it's been a few years, all right?And anyway, how am I supposed to remember someone from like eight years ago? _

_I mean, like she got assassinated, all right?By some jerk with a gun, right?But that doesn't mean I'm supposed to remember her, does it?_

I sighed.I couldn't believe how selfish I had sounded back then. 

I flipped the page of the diary. 

_Anyway, like, here's a photo of her.I wonder what it would have been like, having a sister, anyway.But then, I've got Leslie, who's practically my sister anyway, even though Dad says she's technically my aunt._

I looked at the bottom of the page. 

A little girl smiled up at me. 

Blond hair, blue eyes, and a lovely smile. 

No trace of who she would have become. 

No trace of the girl who I loved because she was my sister. 

No trace of the girl who would become a deadly killer. 

I flipped the diary back to an empty page, and tried to think of something to say. 

And almost involuntarily, I began doodling, a tangled mass of lines that kept growing larger and larger and larger. 

**Chapter Fifteen – Jesse**

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and a surge of pain in my ear. 

I knew what was happening. 

I was being infested. 

It took every ounce of will-power I had, not to tell the Ansysith that the deal was off. 

Then I heard a voice in my head, taunting me, mocking me. 

You've gone beyond the point of all return, _Human_. 

So, Yeerk, I said, or rather, thought.What do they call you? 

My designation is irrelevant to you.However, I am called Zirass Five-Nine-One of the Larain Niaar pool. 

I see.So, Zirass Five-Nine-One of the Larain Niaar pool, how long have you been around? 

Why should I tell you, _human_? 

I was a little relieved by his reply. 

See, I could handle this kind of baiting. 

Baiting was good. 

My name is Jesse, I shot back.What, you can't read your host's memories? 

There was no reply. 

And suddenly, I was plunged into a memory from a few years ago. 

_I whimpered, as the human-Controller laughed."Well, where are you now, little Animorph?" _

_Angela, beside me was crying. _

_Tessie was shuddering all over. _

_The Controller laughed again."Well, which one shall I kill?"He nodded at his Dracon Beam."This model will fire three beams.One to kill, two to stun.The question is, who lives, and who dies?"_

Suddenly, the Yeerk snapped me out of that memory, and into another. 

_"Hello, Jesse." _

_I stared with horror at this girl who I'd played with. _

_"Marguerite." _

_She laughed.Hardly.Cruelly. _

_"Your assessment is very astute." _

_Marguerite nodded at me, as she was as a child-Controller. _

_"Now, the question is, are you coming with me, or not?"_

The Yeerk cut me back to the earlier memory. 

_"— is, who lives, and who dies?" _

_He raised the Dracon Beam, aiming at Angela. _

_Tssseeeewww! _

_Angela jerked and fell to the ground, twitching madly. _

_He aimed at Tessie. _

_Tssseeeewww! _

_Tessie fell to the ground, jerking and twitching as well. _

_Then the Dracon Beam swung around to me. _

_Tssseeeewww! _

_I felt the wave of pain, so intense, flash over me. _

_I bit back a scream. _

_After a seemingly eternal agony, it stopped. _

_I stood up, weakly. _

_There was another girl standing.I couldn't tell who it was yet. _

_I walked over to the one who wasn't moving. _

_I flipped her over. _

_Angela was dead. _

_Angela.Was.Dead._

The Yeerk laughed.So, human, you still so eager to respond to me? 

**Chapter Sixteen – Jesse**

I heard my mental voice waver slightly. 

Yep.After all, a guy's gotta have some fun in life. 

FLASH! 

_I slipped on a rock, and fell a few feet. _

_Marguerite laughed."C'mon Jess, you.'Ts like flyin'!" _

_She scrambled easily up the mass of rocks, like it was nothing._

_Oh, yeah.Nothing to it. _

_Leslie rolled her eyes, but was up and moving. _

_Right.Real easy.Margot would go up it like a bullet, and I'd go slow, easy, and break my leg. _

_I went up, slipping on rocks as I went. _

_Marguerite laughed again."It's like t'tal freed'm up here, it."The wind blew a lock of her golden hair across her eight-year old face, unguarded for once._

FLASH! 

_Jake rolled over onto his stomach, watching us warily."So.What do we do now, guys?" _

_Marguerite looked up, flipping one of the many blades that she always carried into the air."Tell campfire stories, it?" _

_I laughed."Sure, Margot, you." _

_Leslie tossed a whetstone over to Marguerite, adding, "What is it like, for you Animorphs?" _

_Marguerite snatched the stone out of the air with a graceful flick of her wrist, catching the blade with her other hand."I suppose you have **honor**, you, it, but not much excitement, it." _

_She said the word honor with some mockery in it. _

_Cassie shook her head."We try to believe in honor, when we can." _

_Marguerite sharpened the blade a few times before replying."Honor is, well, it sorta depends on th' situation, it." _

_She whipped the blade into the air, and flicked another one out of her sleeve, sending that up as well.In a few seconds, she had four in the air, mesmerizing the Animorphs. _

_"Honor's fine an' all, it, when it's peace time.But when it's war, you stay alive first, **then** you gotta worry 'bout honor." _

_She caught all four blades at once."Anyway, the Yeerks don't act with honor, and all's fair in war, it." _

_"True," I said."**Our** rules of honor are this; free or die, it." _

FLASH! 

__So, the servant of honor's a Controller now.All for the sake of a girl that he didn't even care about. 

I started to reply.To say that wasn't true.But all at once, I felt small, weak, and utterly insignificant. 

**Chapter Seventeen – Jeremy**

BRRIIINNNNGGG!!!!!! 

The phone rang, shocking me off my bed. 

"Ow!" 

I stood up, rubbing a bump on my head, and picked up the phone."Hello, this is Jeremy." 

I could hear Marco's agitated voice."Jeremy, is Jesse there?" 

"No, I walked him home after school." 

Suddenly, I felt a jolt of worry.I looked at the clock.6:00. 

Marco's voice sounded even more worried. 

"Are you sure?I can't find any trace of him anywhere." 

I heard my voice getting that trace of street dialect in it."I dinna know where he be, me.Didja check the girls, them?" 

He sighed."I already called them.They said he went home with you.Go and tell your parents to meet up with me at my place." 

I dropped the phone receiver onto the hook. 

CLUNK! 

Then I walked calmly, outside, where Dad was helping Mom muck out the barn.I heard my voice, with that tinge of accent telling them what had happened. 

I was calm.Calm was good. 

Ten minutes later, though, when we arrived at Marco's house, that calm was being broken through by worry. 

Leslie and Lilith just stared at me, when I walked into the living room. 

Leslie picked up a book, thrusting at me like she was upset. 

I looked at it._Goatsong_. 

She shook her head."That's the only sign of him.It was in his room.That's all we found –" 

Her voice wavered. 

I took a deep breath."Marguerite read this." 

Leslie shook her head again."I know." 

That was the only thing we said for the next twenty minutes, sitting in the room in silence. 

**Chapter Eighteen – Jeremy**

I couldn't stop running the same scenes over and over in my head. 

Marguerite getting shot. 

Jesse, turning away from me. 

My cousin, dissolving. 

The Yeerks, invading Earth. 

Anger can be like a high in it's own way.So can guilt.And I had more than enough of both. 

I was running on sheer adrenaline.That's the only thing that kept me from collapsing. 

I was the leader for the others.Some leader. 

A leader's job is to keep his people alive. 

Out of five of us; Marguerite, Lilith, Jesse, Leslie, and me, two were gone. 

That's forty percent casualties. 

No _real_ leader would have casualties that high.It's practically unheard of. 

I ran yet another scene over in my head. 

_My cousin laughing, coldly, hardly, "Do you think that matters to me?Do you think that I care whether I die or not, me?The Yeerk would have been dead, it.And it's host, it.Death is better than being a slave, it.Do you think my life matters at all, it?"_

_The Animorphs were looking at each other, seemingly disturbed. _

_She was speaking in Kyrina, so quickly that I could barely catch it. _

_"T'nt be na lrta si srla, it.Dinna do naught, you.Lt'a Yeerk l've 've, it.Kirl Yeerks, them.Na mat'r wh't 'tis 'akes, it." _

_She was turning on her heel, abruptly, walking off. _

_Leslie and Lilith were trying to stop her. _

_I shook my head."No.Let her go." _

_"What did she say?" Cassie asked. _

_I turned toward Cassie.I smiled, a little sadly."She said, 'There isn't a reason to live if you're a Controller.You didn't do anything, you.You left a Yeerk alive, it.Kill all of the Yeerks, them, no matter what it takes, it." _

_Then I forgot all about it._

I should have remembered.Could have. 

Didn't. 

Should have. 

Didn't. 

I could have stopped her. 

Only I didn't. 

That was a serious error in judgement.The first one. 

The second?When I had left Jesse at home, alone. 

Both errors were serious. 

Errors that could spell the difference between life and death. 

Errors that had made all the difference for my cousin and best friend. 

**Chapter Nineteen - Leslie  **

"This is all your fault, anyway!" I shrieked, as I turned on him. 

Jeremy and I were having a fight.I wasn't even sure how it had started, but we were having a fight.Raising the roof, too, while we were at it. 

Jeremy's eyes flashed."My fault?!How is this _my fault?She was your best friend!" _

"And she was your cousin," I snapped right back. 

Lilith just looked at me, as those tears began to well up in her eyes."Leslie, please don't –" 

Unfortunately, that irritated me even more. 

"Anyway," I continued, "he was _your best friend.So how is that my fault?!" _

Jeremy stared at me."Leslie, I don't need any of this bull, so shuddup!" 

I felt a sudden jolt of fury."Bull?What bull, it?You're ta one who be yappin', so you be shuttin' it, you!She was your responsibility.You were the one who was supposed ta keep Margot under control, her.You're the leader, Jeremy, you!So take control, leader!" 

Lilith's eyes were overflowing now."Guys, can't ya please stop fightin'?Please?Just fer once?" 

Jeremy stared at her."Lilith, shut –" 

I grabbed him by the shoulder, and yanked him around."No, Jeremy.You shut up." 

He drew back his fist, an instinctive reflex, created by years of street fights. 

His dark eyes, so much like Marguerite's blue ones were flashing. 

Lilith was crying, quite openly now."Why do you guys hafta fight, you?Why –" 

Jeremy looked at his fist like he'd never seen it before, then dropped it.He sighed."Look, Lil, we're stressed out, us, 'right?" 

Lilith's face changed again."Ya, you be stress'd, you?Shaddya trap, stop yappin', mebbe ya'll find him, you," she snarled out. 

Then her face changed back to the terrified waif I'd seen earlier. 

I went over to Lilith."Lilith, we're just tired, ok?Go take a nap, or something.It'll make you feel better." 

She gave me _that look again. _

I sighed."'K, Lil.We'll just wait here for the adults, 'k?" 

She sniffed."I dunno.I mean, she's gone.And Jess is gone.And we're at each other's throats.We can't –" 

Lilith broke down into tears again. 

I sighed, touching her shoulder, lightly."Just go to sleep, Lilith.We'll be fine." 

She gave me a wavering smile, and not for the first time, I realized how vulnerable she really was. 

I smiled, hiding all my emotions."We'll be fine." 

I was lying. 

**Chapter Twenty - Leslie **

The adults were out searching for Jesse in bird morph. 

They'd told us to stay home, since we couldn't morph. 

Right.Like we were totally useless. 

I felt jittery. But I coiled up on Jesse's bed and tried to think. Lilith was in a chair, and Jeremy was pacing.

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

The bang was from Jess's trash can, which Jeremy kept banging into.

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

"Would you stop that!" I snapped out. I was going to say more, but I bit it back. At least Jeremy was acting serious.

He ignored me.

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

Something important about the book. Something.

I knew the story. I had to think.

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

It was based on some stupid Greek or Roman legend.

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

Some musician loses his wife, so he –

My mind froze.

Tobias had said that the Ellimist liked to play games with people. That the Ansysith, Crayak, and Drode were the same.

The musician goes to hell and back to get her back.

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

Game.Jesse wasn't exactly going with Marguerite, but the two _had_ been very close.And Jess probably was the most mentally unstable of us all. 

And the most likely to agree to a deadly game. 

"Leslie? What's wrong?"

Lilith was staring at me.

I smiled grimly. "Nothing's wrong."

She stared at me. "You just turned white."

So I lied. "Nothing. I'm just a little tired."

Pace. . . Pace. . . Bang!

Jeremy whirled on me. "What is it?!"

So I told them what I thought and believed.

I told them that the Ellimist or Crayak had probably made a bargain with Jesse. A bargain for his life. 

**Chapter Twenty-One – Jesse**

The Yeerk walked my body toward Marco's house. 

_My_ house. 

"I" walked toward the window, peering through into my room. 

Leslie was coiled up on my bed.Lilith was sagging against a chair, making a futile effort to wipe at her tearstained face.And Jeremy was pacing back and forth, angrily. 

The Yeerk's hand curled around the Dracon Beam in my pocket. 

_Waitasecond!_

Dracon Beam? 

Have you ever suddenly seen everything in perfect clarity? 

The Animorphs were the only thing that stood between the Yeerks and Earth.And the Yeerk would be able to pick them off, one by one. 

Wait a second! I cried.That's not parta the deal, it! 

Everything in war's fair, human. 

But then suddenly, I saw a brilliant flash of light, and I was in . . . . well, I don't know where I was, exactly. 

And I was Yeerk free. 

Unfortunately, that didn't make me feel any better, since I was surrounded by two figures, the Ellimist, and Crayak. 

The Ellimist spoke first.The boy speaks truth, Crayak.It was indeed part of the bargain that your servant should not hurt any of the Animorphs.

Crayak didn't sound too happy.You manipulated the other one.You got her to change the timeline.

True.I changed the timeline with the use of the other girl.But she was fulfilling a prophecy, long before stated.Just like this one's mother. 

His glowing hand swept toward me, indicating me. 

My . . . . mother? 

The Ellimist continued speaking in that booming voice.And a bargain is a bargain.I allowed you to bring the Yeerks back.A race for a race, a life for a life. 

Human for Yeerk, Marguerite for David, Jesse for Allegra. 

Allegra? 

Crayak still sounded annoyed, but swiveled his eye toward me.Very well.Take him and go. 

And now, I was in another glowing area. 

I looked around, confusedly. 

What was going on? 

Then I heard the voice. 

"Hello, Jesse." 

**Chapter Twenty-Two – Jesse**

"Hello, Jesse." 

I swiveled around, so quickly that I nearly lost my balance. 

A teenage girl was smiling at me."Hello, Jesse." 

"Who are you?" I snapped.I was a little cranky at being so startled. 

She laughed."I'm Allegra.Your mother." 

My jaw dropped. 

But now that I thought about it, some of her features were, indeed, similar to my own. 

The pale skin that I certainly didn't inherit from Marco.The slightly gangly height.The – 

"Um.Aren't you supposed to be dead?" 

Yeah, I know, inane question. 

She smiled."Yes, I died, several years ago.And before you can ask, no, this is not how old I was at the time.This is simply the time that I think that I looked best." 

I eyed her carefully.Yes, she was pretty. 

The short curly hair fell across pale skin.She grinned at me out of intense blue-green eyes."Done with your inspection yet?" 

I smiled slightly."Hopefully." 

She gazed at me."You know, you're a lot like your father."Then she shook her head."Now, enough of the conversation.I came here to tell you something." 

Allegra smiled."First.Yes, you will get your little friend back, but not before I finish telling you my messages.Two.You are a moron for trying to make deals with Crayak and his servants, and if I ever hear of it again, you are going to be in so much trouble you won't be able to get out of the house for a month.Three.Tell Marco that yes, the Ellimist kept his bargain, and yes, I still think he's an idiot for that pathetic stunt.Four.Yes, you will see me again.And five." 

She snapped her fingers together."There's your little friend." 

Then she laughed, and blew me a kiss."Catch you later, Jess." 

She was gone. 

I whirled around, trying to figure out where she had gone. 

Then I caught a glimpse of hazy light in the corner, solidifying, twisting, wavering. 

But then I hear a voice in my head; the voice of Ansysith. 

So.You win this time, human.But remember this.We _will_ be back. 

**Chapter Twenty-Three - Marguerite  **

_Jess is on the ground. _

_I sprint over toward him, and kneel down.He simply gives me a dazed look. _

_"Jess.I'm sorry, me." _

_Why did I say that?But then, he _**_is__ one of my closest friends. _**

_He stares back at me, confused."About what?Earlier?Don't worry about it –" _

_I cut him off.There isn't any time to explain to him, and I only have so much time left.And there's a small window of opportunity for what I'm going to do. _

_"No. It's not, it. Look, remember what I told you earlier, me, about the kamikaze, it?" _

_He gives me a deliberate nod."Yeah.What does that have to do with now?" _

_My heart rate is exploding, and I feel like a basket of emotions. _

_It's strange, how I've always felt that way.Mood swings.I've always had them, since I was very little.And that fact alone makes me give Jesse a smile. _

_"I can't explain it to you now. But I'm sorry, for –" _

_How can my voice be so calm, with what I'm about to do? _

_It's ridiculous. _

_Then I see **her**, and every trace of what is ridiculous and what isn't is erased from my mind.My muscles tense, and my hand curls around the trigger of a Dracon Beam I'd taken earlier, from a Controller. _

_I'd killed him, of course.He was a Controller. _

_I shake off that thought, and am immediately on my feet.Strangely, everything seems to be happening so fast.Everything's a blur.All my thoughts are speeding by, too fast for me to grasp. _

_"Hello, Marguerite." _

_My voice is still calm, quiet, not even angry.Maybe a little icy. _

_She whirls to face me, startled expression on her childish face.Something about that look appeals to me in a strange way. _

_Then she relaxes, just the tiniest amount. _

_"Hello, Marguerite." _

_I raise the Dracon Beam to face her, tip aimed precisely at her head, and she smiles at me.That childish look is gone now, replaced by a unpleasantly nasty smile. _

_"If you fire that, you'll die also." _

_Somehow, it strikes me as funny, and I laugh."Yes.I know.But if I kill you, my friends will live." _

_I suddenly feel a deep calm set over me. _

_I turn toward the others.Jeremy, Leslie, and Lilith are behind Jesse.The Animorphs are on the other side._Good, at least everyone's here to see what's happening,_ I think in a sudden inane thought. _

_Then I raise my head, just a little higher. _

_My heart thuds for probably the last time. _

_I pull the trigger. _

_The Controller falls to the ground, and I can see myself dissolving. _

_Strange.I don't feel any pain. _

_But I **am** dissolving, which means I don't have much time. _

_I twist toward the other Vrelth. _

_Korin, Rysans, Prionon, Brillynth, and Skarlaya will never exist now.Jeremy, Leslie, Jesse, and Lilith will.I won't.But then, the girl known as Marguerite died a long time ago, when the Yeerks invaded.The only girl left in her place was a ghost of the former child, Skarlaya. _

_So which one am I now? _

_The thought makes me a little sad, so I open my mouth to tell them one last thing. _

_"Guys. I had to. What was possible, is now impossible. What was impossible . . . . " _

_My last molecules are going, now. _

_FLASH! _

_I see a slender Asian girl with glasses, and what looks like a hearing aid bent over a pile of papers and books, nervously chewing on the end of a pencil. _

_FLASH! _

_A reddish-brown haired girl is doing a jump on the ice, making a graceful landing. _

_FLASH! _

_The visions, if that was what they were have stopped now. _

_I know I am dying. _

_And all I can think of are the words to that relion keras blasted song. _

_He takes the knichts in to the field, _

_And armit under helm and scheild, _

_Victor he is at all melee, _

_Timor mortis conturbat me. _

_Suddenly, ironically, I remember what that last line means. _

_"Fear of death takes me." _

_I think I tried to say it out loud, but then, I'm gone now, and everything goes black._

**Chapter Twenty-Four - Marguerite**

My eyes snapped open. 

I was in the middle of a field. 

And Jesse was staring at me, a few inches above my head. 

"What the hell are you staring at?" I snapped. 

Then it hit me. 

I was supposed to be dead. 

Before Jesse could open his mouth, I snapped out something else."'k, lemme rephrase that.Why the hell am I alive, and what the hell did you do?" 

He explained to me in a few terse sentences. 

Then I started staring at him. 

"What?" he asked. 

I rolled my eyes._Guys.Typical.Totally clueless._[A/N:If you're a guy, yes, I know that's a bit unfair, but you gotta admit that that's true most of the time when they're around girls.] 

"Are you insane?!" I shrieked."Letting yourself be made into a Controller, which was pretty insane in the first place, so that I would be brought back from the dead, or whatever, by _making a bargain with Ansysith_?!" 

"Have you lost every last shred of sanity?Has your mind gone knocking on someone else's' skull?!You are –" 

I paused here for a second, breaking my next comment off in midsentence. 

Jesse grinned."Well?I am . . . . " 

I rolled my eyes again."Thanks, Jess." 

I could tell he was surprised."No problem.Hey, you'd do the same for me, right?" 

I laughed."Well, it depends on whether I want to torture the Earth by making the people suffer your corny jokes." 

"Hey!" he yelped. 

I laughed again."C'mon, we gotta get home before Marco has a cow." 

**Chapter Twenty-Five – Lilith **

There was a click at the door, and Jesse walked in. 

Simple as that.He was in the door before any of us could move. 

Marco walked over, with a furious look on his face. 

But before he could say anything, Jesse began talking. "Um . . . I know that you guys are really mad at me for pulling such a stupid stunt, but I want to say two things." 

"One.Allegra sent a message telling Marco that yes, the Ellimist kept his bargain, and yes, she still thinks you're an idiot for that stupid stunt." 

These words got a reaction out of all the adults. 

"Two."Jesse gestured at the door. 

Then Marguerite stepped in, cocky grin on her face."Hey, guys.Miss me?" 

**Chapter Twenty-Six – Lilith **

Like usual, after class ended, Ted came over to bother me, with his gang of about six punks. 

Ready to slam my face in, like usual. 

Except this time, the others came bounding in to the rescue. 

My sister in the lead. 

Marguerite shook her head, sending her long golden mane cascading behind her. 

"Well.It looks like we have a situation here, doesn't it, Jesse?" 

Jesse grinned."Of course.And you're going to tell us that we have to dash in, correct?" 

Leslie gasped theatrically."Why, we wouldn't dream of it.Leave a teammate in danger?" 

Jeremy laughed.Naturally, this time."Hmm.I suppose we could dash in heroically, and save our damsel in distress." 

During all of this bantering, they were fanning out, in perfect formation for a fight. 

Marguerite cocked her head."Well." 

She laughed."Let's do it." 

The fight was over very quickly. 

Marguerite alone could have mopped up all six. 

With us, the fight was over in a few seconds. 

Later as we strolled away, we were talking. 

Jess grinned at Marguerite."Remember that song you were singing, the other night?Timid morty, whatever?" 

She rolled her eyes."The line is, 'Timor mortis conturbat me,' and the name of the song is _Lament_." 

He shook his head."Thought up any new songs?" 

She smirked."In fact, I have a new one, that fits the occasion." 

Leslie raised her eyebrows."Okay, let's hear it." 

Marguerite laughed."Okay, but before you guys yell at me, I didn't write it, I found it in a book.I just made up the melody.And I modified the lyrics a bit.So it actually had a decent rhythm." 

Jeremy shrugged."And it goes . . . ." 

Margot laughed again.A pure, lyrical laugh."Fine.Here goes." 

"For everything, there is a season," 

"For everything, there is a time," 

"For every matter 'cross the oceans," 

"For every matter under the heavens." 

"For everything, there is a time." 

"A time to be born, and a time to die," 

"A time to plant, and a time to reap," 

"A time to kill, and a time to heal," 

"A time to break, and a time to build." 

"For everything, there is a season," 

"For everything there is a time." 

"A time to weep, and a time to laugh," 

"A time to mourn, and a time to dance," 

"A time to seek, and a time to leave," 

"A time to tear, and a time to sew." 

"For everything, there is a season," 

"For everything, there is a time." 

"A time to keep silence, and a time to speak," 

"A time to love, and a time to hate," 

"A time for war, and a time for peace." 

Marguerite's words thrilled me, the same way that her voice soared in pure melody. 

But it was the last couple of lines that stayed in my head. 

_A time to love, and a time to hate,_

_A time for war, and a time for peace._

We'd seen what friendship could do, and what we would do for each other. 

We'd seen war, and peace. 

We'd had our share of fighting. 

And now, like the song said, it was the time for peace.

**_To be continued in the next volume, The Morph . . . ._**

* * *

[A/N: Well? Loved it, hated it, put it on a shrine? Either way, e-mail me at [anifuture@hotmail.com][1], and please, please, please look at my homepage with an updated version of the story at [http://anifuture.hypermart.net][2].]

   [1]: mailto:anifuture@hotmail.com
   [2]: http://anifuture.hypermart.net



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